JESUS' MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM
Mark 13:3-13
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved..."
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Peter, James, John and Andrew all wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed, as Jesus had just predicted in the previous verses. Jesus being Jesus, told them what they needed to know; He gave them a prophetic picture of that time, including events leading up to it. He also talked about future events connected with His return to earth. Jesus predicted both near and distant events without putting them in clear chronological order, because the order wasn't the point. Jesus wanted to warn His followers then, and He warns us now about the future so that we can learn how to live NOW, in the present.
Many of the predictions Jesus made in this passage have not yet been fulfilled. He did not reveal this information for us to waste time on the timing. However, people being people; in every generation have claimed to know exactly when Jesus will return. Which has already confirmed Jesus' prediction that before His return, many believers would be misled by false teachers claiming to have revelations from God. It's crucial to know the Word, because only then will you confidently know that Christ is returning on God's timetable, not ours. Only by knowing the Word will you be able to rebuke and flee from these deceptions.
So how will we know it's Jesus? According to Scripture, one clear sign of Christ's return will be His unmistakable appearance in the clouds, which will be seen by ALL PEOPLE (13:26; Revelations 1:7); not just a few of the elite. If you haven't seen it, I'm sure you can bet that it hasn'thappen - because God is not a liar, He is not misleading - His Word is the Truth. In other words, you will not have to wonder whether a certain person is the Messiah or whether these are the "end times." When Jesus returns, you will know beyond a doubt, because it will be evident to all ("every eye will see Him").
Jesus revealed this information to His disciples and to us, to help us to be spiritually alert and prepared at all times as we wait on the LORD's return. Beware of people and groups who claim special knowledge of Christ's return because no one knows when that time will be (13:32). And be cautious of saying, "This is it!" because how do you know? But be bold in your total commitment to have your heart and life ready for Christ.
Would you considered yourself prepared, alert, on guard to deception? Are you so sure of yourself, that you spend your time condemning the world, yet excusing yourself? This is our time ladies and gents. Let's use it wisely and follow the directions left by our awaited Savior. One way to be prepared is to actually live our faith and obedience to the Almighty God.
Preparation is taking the time to learn, grow and become strong in the LORD by removing the compromises.
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